Rainbows in the Dark

My god this song is about everything.

one of my absolute favourites! so much energy in this song!

The last part has got to be about just enjoying life. Realizing how to enjoy it after that past.

The last part has got to be about just enjoying life. Realizing how to enjoy it after that past.

Can someone clarify this:

"Now they're drilling my teeth while I'm soiling sheets With my lover, she's counting the diamonds on rings And even when truth doesn't help with the sting"

I don't really understand it. I mean I know it's literal meaning, but I don't know what it means pertaining to the song.

My brother actually freaked out and threw a hissy fit because I was playing this song, and he said, "This song is about dentists!" because of that one part. And when I explained it wasn't, he said, 'Well, then the lyrics don't make any sense! Explain it to me!"

And I couldn't. This is the only conclusion I can come to.

Drilling teeth could be a metaphor for people trying to fix the bad in her life. After that relationship with the Fist Hand Man, she had quite a bit of "cavaties" and in turn, there are people "drilling her teeth." The soiling sheets part could possibly be about her own self infliction? Destroying things close to her even when people are trying to repair her?

I was confused about the lover part, at first thinking she suddenly was engaged to a woman, but my friend pointed out that her lover (Fist Hand Man?) has a new girlfriend, or rather fiance. Flip the sentance around. She's counting the diamonds on rings with my lover. Like seeing them in a jewelry store or something.

Does anyone else have a better interpretation? I'd love to hear it.

I think it's about different types of relationships, and not just about the ones they went through but people they knew who went through certain things. So it's like this big jumbled song about the ups and downs and differences and in the end it seems like things are finally starting to come together. But it's all because they didn't hold back.

"Now they're drilling my teeth while I'm soiling sheets"

drilling teeth is a tedious process that really no one enjoys. soiling sheets is either embarrassing or from sex... probably from sex b/c the next line is "with my lover."

"You pull them out, feel they're changed"

possibly referring to cavaties and teeth that have to be removed because of them.

my analysis is this: the teeth are a symbol of relationships. the drilling represents the the pain and tediousness of thinking about past relationships while currently in one... i don't know, some kind of battle between cavaties and healthy teeth. or between nostalgic past loves and living in the present. the part about pulling the teeth out kind of just makes me think this even more. you can end past relationships, put them out of your mind, but they are still with you. kind of like cavaties. you may have gotten rid of them, but you still had them. and what is causing them?

it seems to be about someone who had an hard life, growing up poor, maybe in the middle of racial issues as well, married an abusing and cheating man...but she still can see all the beauty in life and that you have to go with the flow.

it reminds me of edgar lee masters' lucinda matlock, in a way.

kay i can't help it I noticed a few mistakes in here and for some reason it really bugged me. here;s the lyrics from the cd jacket 'i was kidnapped real young by the sweet taste of love built a fondness for things that just weren't good enough i cradled the crow always shooed off the dove which tagged me a naive son so the fortunate kids yeah they left on their lights and they stuck up there noses and started some fights their parents all cackled at dirt on my hands whil my father was slaving my mother explained it sometimes that just how it is so my sister went kissing a maple skinned boy finally held up her fist said I'm done being coy and the neighbourhood, bored, started buzzing with joy oh we finally have front page news although it was sad I couldn't help but laugh such ridiculous hate in the hot sumer sweat so i laid on my back let the punk records spin and the sloppy guitar it was shooting out stars and it all went to my heart yeah some rainbows in the dark so i called out danger, my friends and some stangers they stumbled and wavered but caught me a savior they slipped me the blood and the whole of the body but i didn't feel their change then i met a man with a fist for a hand held me flat on my back taught me how to give in some phrases were shot, pretty roses got tossed the gift of a fat lipped grin now they're drilling my teeth while i'm soiling sheets with my lover, she couting the diamonds on rings and even when truth doesn't help with the sting out of low numbers, some harsh looking colours you pull out immaculate change no need for a thousand cranes so i thank the city, the lives that it's spinning the friends that i have and the shoes we're not shining the drunk horns so violent all spiting out sounds of the colours so vibrant., the colours so loud oh the newly born crying realizing what life is they eyes of my grandfather right before dying the see-saw of all with its rickety balance the feeling of coming, the feeling of going the mother the child the tame and the wild the spray painted minor to the gold leaf attired the crooked the straight, all the hip and the fake oh, i finally feel it, thestitching of beautiful seems sometimes you just can't hold back the river'

I don't think it would have bugged me as much if it weren't for the line 'they eyes of my grandfather right before dying' this is by far one of the most moving lyrics I have ever come across, and the real lyrics conjur so much more of a powerful image then 'In the eyes of my grandpa, the right people dying'